{"id":17604,"date":"2026-04-20T08:08:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/17604\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T08:08:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:08:16","slug":"levitt-bernstein-returns-to-hawksmoor-church-for-second-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/17604\/","title":{"rendered":"Levitt Bernstein returns to Hawksmoor church for second upgrade"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new project focuses on improving accessibility, acoustic performance and technical capability, ensuring the church of St Luke\u2019s \u2013 first restored in 2003 \u2013 can continue to support the orchestra\u2019s evolving ambitions.<\/p>\n

Improvements include upgrades to the rehearsal, community and education spaces, expanded technical capabilities for the Jerwood Hall \u2013 designed for large-scale performances \u2013 and a new external lighting scheme to enhance the building\u2019s visibility.<\/p>\n

St Luke\u2019s \u2013 a London Symphony Orchestra venue and \u2018music hub\u2019 \u2013 is a Grade I-listed church in Islington designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and John James and built in 1733.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Levitt Bernstein first restored it in 2003 for the St Luke Centre Management Company when it was on English Heritage\u2019s list of most important buildings at risk and in a poor state of disrepair following its closure in 1959.<\/p>\n

The \u00a39.7 million project focused on external restoration by adding a new roof and artists\u2019 entrance on the site of the old vestry. A new interior was also constructed within the volume of the church to create rehearsal, education and performance space for the orchestra.<\/p>\n

A formerly unsafe crypt was also rebuilt to house a caf\u00e9, while extensions were excavated beneath the churchyard to make practice rooms, offices, plant and visitor facilities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Architect\u2019s view<\/p>\n

One of the standout achievements in the refurbishment of LSO St Luke\u2019s is the holistic acoustic and technical upgrade to Jerwood Hall, which has been designed to support both large\u2011scale orchestral rehearsals and an increasingly diverse programme of performances, recordings, and digital content creation. Working within the constraints of the Grade I listing designation, with the heritage statement recognising the significance of Levitt Bernstein\u2019s 2003 conversion, we delivered significant improvements to the Hall\u2019s acoustic and technical performance.<\/p>\n

A new wall, window, and ceiling treatments were integrated seamlessly with the existing fabric, improving clarity, warmth and ensemble conditions for performers while reducing distracting reflections. The installation of discreet, high\u2011capacity technical infrastructure \u2013 including upgraded camera installations, cable infrastructure and digital connectivity \u2013 now enables the space to function as a state\u2011of\u2011the\u2011art studio environment for filming, streaming, and recording, supporting the LSO\u2019s expanding digital outreach.<\/p>\n

This dual optimisation for live and digital use means that the hall can shift effortlessly between rehearsal, performance, recording, and broadcast modes, allowing the LSO to fulfil its business plan whilst meeting growing demand for flexible, technologically enabled cultural spaces. As conservation architect, we designed all interventions to ensure reversibility and minimal visual impact, preserving the character of the former church while equipping it for a new chapter of music\u2011making and education.<\/p>\n

The result is a transformed Jerwood Hall that feels both beautifully restored and technically future\u2011proof, a space where world\u2011class acoustics, digital capability and architectural heritage \u2013 both new and old \u2013 work in harmony.<\/p>\n

Mark Lewis, arts studio director, Levitt Bernstein<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Client\u2019s view<\/p>\n

LSO St Luke\u2019s is the cherished home of LSO Discovery, our education and community programme, and a base for a dynamic programme of orchestral performance, rehearsal and recording.<\/p>\n

From its opening in 2003, the LSO\u2019s work in the building flourished and expanded until the pandemic lock downs caused us to rethink how we can maximise its use, now and into the future. We knew that we wanted to make the building more accessible and flexible for all users, and that our digital programme in the building would continue to grow year on year. Sustainability was also a priority, both in terms of caring for the historic fabric of building but also in ensuring that the infrastructure reflects our environmental principles.<\/p>\n

LSO St Luke\u2019s is a Grade I-listed building located in one of Islington\u2019s protected green spaces. The footprint of the building therefore couldn\u2019t grow, but our ambition was significant. The team at Levitt Bernstein led a sensitive and creative design process, looking closely at each space in turn to unlock new potential. As caretakers of this amazing building, the project was about celebrating the success of the original conversion and taking the next bold step in ensuring that LSO St Luke\u2019s continues to be at the heart of the LSO and our community for many years to come.<\/p>\n

Kathryn McDowell, managing director, The London Symphony Orchestra<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Project data<\/p>\n

Location Islington, London
Start on site January 2025
Completion\u00a0September 2025
Gross internal floor area 2,168m2
Form of contract\u00a0JCT \/ Single stage traditional
Construction cost \u00a38 million
Architect Levitt Bernstein
Client London Symphony Orchestra
Structural engineer Price & Myers
MEP engineer Max Fordham
QS Bristow
Project manager Avison Young
Contract administrator Avison Young
Landscape architect Levitt Bernstein
Acoustic consultant Threshold Acoustics
Fire engineer The Fire Surgery
Access contractor HADA
Principal designer Levitt Bernstein
CDM co-ordinator Levitt Bernstein
Approved building inspector SWECO
Main contractor GPF Lewis
CAD software used Revit<\/p>\n

Environmental performance data<\/p>\n

On-site energy generation Nil
Annual mains water consumption Not calculated (same as existing)
Airtightness at 50Pa Not calculated (same as existing)
Heating and hot water load Not calculated (same as existing)
Operational energy Reduced by 15% due to new lighting systems
Total energy load Not calculated
Overall area-weighted U-value Not calculated
Predicted design life 30 years (MEP plant)
Embodied carbon Not calculated
Whole-life carbon Not calculated
Annual CO2 emissions\u00a0Not calculated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The new project focuses on improving accessibility, acoustic performance and technical capability, ensuring the church of St Luke\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17605,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[26],"tags":[8131,8132,27,8133,8134,8135,4559],"class_list":["post-17604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-london","tag-church","tag-levitt-bernstein","tag-london","tag-old-street","tag-orchestra","tag-rehearsal-facility","tag-retrofit"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116436015872489306","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}